I have a ton of TAR questions. I am convinced that when my wife an I apply, we will be picked...and win!So here it goes:

1. When should you exchange currency/ how much currency to exchange?2. Bottled water - provided or not?3. When or should you call for a taxi at the end of each leg? Or is there a rule against this now?4. How often can you tell what the Roadblock is before you read the clue?5. How often do you rely on cell phones?6. Tips for international travel or what to do after plane lands?ie customs7. Time change on watches? Alarm clocks? How does that work during the race with all the time changes?8. What to pack........ cold weather clothes, sleeping bag, stuff for taking showers,....?9. iPods and mp3s allowed?10. How long do the pit stop interviews last?11. How difficult is it to sleep during pit stops?12. Does production tell you when/where to leave your bags during roadblocks & detour?13. Does a map from a detour ever help later in the leg with navigation?

I realize that most of these would only be known by racers or from reading racer interviews. I was also going to DM a few of these questions on twitter to some former racers, but I'll give them a shot here first. Thanks ahead of time

Some of these may be wrong. But most I know for fact.

1. All of it, at airports.2. No3. If still allowed, probably after the Pit Start.4. If you see other teams doing it.5. Never your own, occasionally teams have borrowed a local's iPhone or Blackberry to search directions.6. Go to customs, baggage claim, etc.7. Probably find out time difference from flight attendants or airport staff, and they set their watch8. I'm guessing youre on your own with packing, there could be a brief list though9. No10. No clue, I'm guessing an hour.11. Not sure.12. Probably.13. Possibly.

I have a ton of TAR questions. I am convinced that when my wife an I apply, we will be picked...and win!So here it goes:

1. When should you exchange currency/ how much currency to exchange?2. Bottled water - provided or not?3. When or should you call for a taxi at the end of each leg? Or is there a rule against this now?4. How often can you tell what the Roadblock is before you read the clue?5. How often do you rely on cell phones?6. Tips for international travel or what to do after plane lands?ie customs7. Time change on watches? Alarm clocks? How does that work during the race with all the time changes?8. What to pack........ cold weather clothes, sleeping bag, stuff for taking showers,....?9. iPods and mp3s allowed?10. How long do the pit stop interviews last?11. How difficult is it to sleep during pit stops?12. Does production tell you when/where to leave your bags during roadblocks & detour?13. Does a map from a detour ever help later in the leg with navigation?

I realize that most of these would only be known by racers or from reading racer interviews. I was also going to DM a few of these questions on twitter to some former racers, but I'll give them a shot here first. Thanks ahead of time

Some of these may be wrong. But most I know for fact.

1. All of it, at airports.2. No3. If still allowed, probably after the Pit Start.4. If you see other teams doing it.5. Never your own, occasionally teams have borrowed a local's iPhone or Blackberry to search directions.6. Go to customs, baggage claim, etc.7. Probably find out time difference from flight attendants or airport staff, and they set their watch8. I'm guessing youre on your own with packing, there could be a brief list though9. No10. No clue, I'm guessing an hour.11. Not sure.12. Probably.13. Possibly.

Thanks.

These are really questions that I would like to hear answered from former racers. But, from what I read on here, most of you guys know more than people that have raced.

1. So you would always exchange all money at every pitstop? I know I see teams all the time with both local and US currency. ie. Season 19 when they donate all money to the orphanage.

2. Bottled water - provided or not?12. Does production tell you when/where to leave your bags during roadblocks & detour?

In the recent season (22), during the Africa leg when they are driving around in their SUVs, you can see a case of bottled water in the trunk of the car. I think water bottles are provided depending on the situation, and almost definitely at detours/road blocks (just from the amount of water bottles I've seen there, including teams dumping water bottles on their teammates in hot weather road blocks).

I've seen a couple times a sign that said "Leave bags here", memorably at a water park challenge where the bowling moms I believe left their bag behind and had to go back to retrieve it.

2. Bottled water - provided or not?12. Does production tell you when/where to leave your bags during roadblocks & detour?

In the recent season (22), during the Africa leg when they are driving around in their SUVs, you can see a case of bottled water in the trunk of the car. I think water bottles are provided depending on the situation, and almost definitely at detours/road blocks (just from the amount of water bottles I've seen there, including teams dumping water bottles on their teammates in hot weather road blocks).

I've seen a couple times a sign that said "Leave bags here", memorably at a water park challenge where the bowling moms I believe left their bag behind and had to go back to retrieve it.

Wow! Thanks! I didn't notice/remember either one of those. You are very observant!

I do seem to remember a season where it looked like teams had coolers in the back of their SUVs. Couldn't tell for sure. But they were big white boxes that resembled coolers.

They did have coolers. Those were production's, they were not allowed to have any.

Water...usually NOT...but sometimes yes.

Packing, you are mostly on your own, although there are some guidelines re logos, etc.

Makes sense that the coolers were for production.

I have a few ideas on what to pack, but logos is one of my main concerns. I remember Boston Rob wearing his hat in S7 and one of the border patrol guys wore an Arizona Nike hat. I guess it just depends as far as how much you can get away with.

Production provides extreme weather gear for a designated task, like ice climbing, sleeping atop an ice field, riding snowmobiles, etc. Still, teams are expected to bring windbreakers/fleece/rainjackets/ponchos for just ordinary cold. Some teams bring sleeping bags (more so in earlier seasons), some bring blankets and/or sleeping pads, some bring space blankets, and others just rough it by wearing multiple layers. At the other end of the spectrum, be prepared to wear production-provided speedos, lycra, etc for specific tasks in the water, on ice rinks, on stage, etc.

Actially, the casting process runs several months ahead of filming. You have to work backwards, but the spring cycle normally premieres during the month of February in order to finish in early May (both during traditional ratings "sweep" periods) and filming normally is completed at or before Christmas at the latest. Filming, therefore, has to start normally sometimes in November or earlier if the producers want to get to certain areas of the world before northern winter/ southern summer.You can work out the same scenario for the fall cycle, once the premiere week used for measuring audience ratings is known.

The deadline has come and gone for applying for Season 25. I applied at the last minute with a different teammate than I originally intended. I don't feel very good about the video I submitted, but you never know. I will be watching for the 26 app just in case.